Lyon on brink of seventh consecutive title

PARIS, May 1 (Reuters) - Olympique Lyon will clinch a record seventh consecutive Ligue 1 title if they win at Nice on Saturday and Girondins Bordeaux lose at Olympique Marseille on Sunday.

Lyon have a four-point lead at the top of the 20-team table over second-placed Bordeaux with three matches left.

With a much better goal difference (+34 to +24), a win
combined with a Bordeaux draw would all but secure the title,
further extending an already record sequence.

'I dream of it,' said club president Jean-Michel Aulas.

'It is so essential that if the game against Nancy, which is
three days after our Cup semi-final against Sedan, ends up being
decisive, we will line up a reserve side (in the Cup tie).'

Lyon, who have not won the French Cup since 1973, are on
course for the club's first league and cup double.

They could well get a helping hand from a Marseille side
who are desperate to hold on to third place, worth a slot in the
Champions League qualifiers next season.

Eric Gerets's side, on 58 points, are under pressure from
fourth-placed Nancy, who have 57 before their game against
relegation candidates Racing Strasbourg, who have lost their
last eight league matches.

The Lorraine side will also be without key defender
Sebastien Puygrenier, who has been ruled out of the last matches
of the season with a groin injury.

The battle for survival continues on Saturday with RC Lens
hosting Monaco and Paris St Germain travelling to Toulouse for a
relegation dogfight.

PSG were spared a points deduction on Wednesday after an
abusive banner was briefly unfolded at the League Cup final in
March, where PSG beat Lens.

However, the French League decided that the capital club
would not be allowed to defend their trophy next season.

PSG, 18th in the table and facing relegation, are level on
38 points with the two clubs above them in the table -- Lens and
their next opponents Toulouse.